The conversation around sustainability in Sri Lanka has changed. What was once mentioned in the footnotes of annual reports is now driving operational decisions at the highest levels, and City of Dreams Sri Lanka is among the organisations leading that shift.
Parent company John Keells Holdings (JKH) has spent several years aligning its group-wide strategy with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, embedding the triple bottom line of economic, environmental, and social performance across its portfolio, including through Cinnamon Life, its hospitality brand. City of Dreams is one of the most visible expressions of that commitment.
Kamal Munasinghe, Senior Vice President/General Manager of Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams, spoke to Echelon about the resort’s sustainability approach and the steps being taken to meet measurable environmental standards.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka is the largest hotel and hotel building in Sri Lanka. How does this scale influence your sustainability approach?
The sheer size of City of Dreams means it was built with the latest technology and sustainability baked into its design from the outset, but the clearer advantage is its commercial weight. When a property of this scale goes to market for supplies, the volume of its purchasing gives it something smaller properties lack: the ability to dictate terms.
Suppliers who want the business have to meet our sustainability standards. That is a condition of being considered, and the onboarding process reflects this seriousness. A new supplier goes through an initial proposal and screening, a review of certifications, and a physical audit at their production site. The full process takes around three months before a vendor enters our central purchasing system.
The influence extends beyond City of Dreams itself. As part of a network of 17 resorts across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the group’s collective buying power allows it to push sustainable practices across an entire supplier ecosystem.
City of Dreams Sri Lanka holds ISO 14001 certification. What does this mean for the hotel?
This internationally recognised environmental management standard signals that an independent auditor has verified the resort is operating in compliance with its requirements. Still, getting the certification is only the first challenge. Sustaining operations at that level, month after month, is another matter entirely.
To meet that ongoing obligation, City of Dreams has built a layered monitoring and accountability structure. Best practices are embedded into daily operations, supported by a reporting system and monthly evaluations. External audits are conducted regularly alongside internal teams to ensure every department is genuinely operating at the required standard. Sustainability must be paired with accountability.
Waste management is a major challenge in hospitality. How is City of Dreams Sri Lanka addressing this?
Sri Lanka does not have robust national waste management infrastructure, which makes the hospitality sector’s responsibility all the more acute. City of Dreams generates approximately 70 tonnes of waste per month. Of that, 98% is recycled or reutilised, with only 2% going to landfill. The target is zero waste-to-landfill within the next few years.
The difficulty lies in execution, because certain recyclable alternatives to products currently in use do not exist in the local market yet. The resort is actively working with suppliers and vendors to develop those alternatives.
On food waste, the approach is systematic. Kitchen production is calibrated to actual dining numbers, with plate and kitchen waste tracked through a monitoring system. Any surplus is sent to local pig farms.
How does City of Dreams Sri Lanka align with John Keells Holdings’ sustainability targets?
JKH’s sustainability framework sets clearly outlined targets across energy efficiency, water reuse, recycling, and waste management, benchmarked against global standards for comparable operations. Progress is monitored monthly, and the targets are formalised as KPIs for the general manager and department heads alike.
Beyond operational metrics, City of Dreams works with the John Keells Foundation on community initiatives, including the Kala Pola art fair and partnerships with neighbouring schools. Cinnamon Life also maintains the railway station near the property and the linear path along the river through the Bay Area. There are also plans in development for a night market in collaboration with the broader team.
What are the future sustainability priorities for City of Dreams Sri Lanka?
Two priorities stand out.
The first is the rollout of a building management system that will allow the resort to monitor energy usage, water consumption, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) performance, and pressure systems in real time. Any inefficiency can be identified and addressed immediately, and the system will generate recommendations to run the building more sustainably over time.
The second is a carbon offsetting programme for large-scale events. The resort is working with a specialist company that calculates total emissions per event, factoring in flight hours and attendee origins, and maps a path to carbon neutrality through reforestation and similar activities.